Raito sat quietly on a garden bench situated in the center of an immense, sprawling lobby, surrounded by the heavy stack of books he had just borrowed. He found himself momentarily mesmerized by a massive aquarium nearby, watching the graceful movements of exotic fish as they darted through the water.
While the other personnel in the facility hurried about their mysterious daily tasks, Raito was preoccupied with the practical problem of where to store his books, considering he had not yet been assigned a room of his own. He felt a strange kinship with the creatures behind the glass, feeling as though he were a decorative fish that had suddenly been plucked from a safe tank and tossed into the vast, unpredictable ocean without a map.
The sudden sensation of a hand tapping his shoulder broke his trance. Although the contact startled him, his physical reaction remained calm and composed. However, when he turned his head to see who had approached him, his breath hitched in surprise.
Standing there was a young woman with short hair and glasses, her features instantly recognizable by Raito. It was as if fate had specifically answered his unspoken questions, and he spoke before he could stop himself.
"Ah, I remember you. You are the one who drugged me earlier, right?"
The woman flinched at his blunt words, her eyes widening behind her lenses as she began to back away with a look of visible panic. The shock on her face quickly transformed into a deep, burning crimson blush that spread across her cheeks. Sensing the awkwardness of the situation, she spun around and attempted to flee into the crowd to escape his gaze.
Seeing her bolt, Raito instinctively reached out to stop her. He lunged from his seat, driven by a sudden urge to get an answer, and managed to catch her hand just before she could disappear. The woman hung her head low, her gaze fixed on the floor as their fingers laced together in a firm grip.
"Hey, wait. I am asking you a question," Raito said, his voice firm yet curious.
"Y… Your hand," she whispered so softly that her voice was barely more than a breath against the ambient noise of the lobby.
As soon as her words registered, Raito looked down and realized he was tightly clutching her hand in a way that was far too intimate for two strangers. He immediately recoiled, releasing his grip as if he had been burned.
"Oh, I am so sorry. I did not mean to grab you like that," Raito stammered, his expression shifting to one of genuine worry.
His mind began to spiral through the possible consequences of his impulsive action, wondering if he would face a formal reprimand or perhaps even be expelled from the organization. The thought of expulsion was particularly terrifying, as he knew that if he were kicked out, the agency would likely have to kill him since their memory wiping serums were useless against his system.
The woman looked up and saw the sheer panic written across Raito's face, and a tiny, shy smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"Please forgive me as well. I was simply following orders to intercept anyone who attempted to escape," she admitted gently.
Hearing her explanation, Raito felt the weight of his anxiety begin to lift. "I see. Well, thank you for being so understanding about it."
"Y-yes," she replied, her voice still trembling slightly.
Shortly after their brief exchange, a familiar voice called out Raito's name from across the lobby. Both he and the woman turned toward the source of the sound, spotting Tiana waving at them from a distance. A wave of relief washed over Raito at the sight of a familiar face, knowing he wouldn't have to spend any more time brooding alone in front of the fish tank.
As he gathered his heavy books to join Tiana, Raito turned back to the woman, offering a proper goodbye.
"I have to head out now. But before I go, may I ask what your name is?"
"Sylvia Gracia," she replied softly.
"Sylvia, that is a truly beautiful name. I am Raito, it is a pleasure to meet you."
Sylvia appeared genuinely stunned by the compliment. It seemed that she was used to fading into the background, and receiving such a direct, kind remark from a stranger sent a fresh wave of color to her face. After a few seconds of hesitation, she found her courage and whispered a reply.
"Thank you..."
Raito tucked the books under his arm and began walking toward Tiana. Before he reached her, he paused to look back over his shoulder, offering Sylvia a genuine smile before turning away to face whatever his new life in the agency had in store for him.